The present invention relates to personal mobile computing devices commonly known as handheld portable computers. More particularly the present invention relates to a communications architecture on the mobile device that allows it to communicate with a computer, such as a desktop computer, using a selectable type of communication link from a plurality of available links.
Mobile devices are small electronic computing devices often referred to as personal desktop assistants. One such mobile device is the Handheld PC (or "H/PC") based on and including the Windows CE brand operating system sold by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington. Although small, a wide variety of computing tasks and applications can be performed by such mobile devices, such as word processing, spread sheet programs, personal money managers and games, to name a few. In many respects, these programs are very similar to programs that reside on an individual's desktop computer. In some applications, the mobile device may not have as many functions as are available on a desktop computer but, nevertheless, are quite valuable as a means for updating and changing data in the field.
It is also common for a mobile device to be used in conjunction with a desktop computer. For example, the user of a mobile device may also have access to, and use, a desktop computer at work or at home. The user may typically run the same types of applications on both the desktop computer and on the mobile device. Thus, it is quite advantageous for the mobile device to be designed to be coupled to the desktop computer to exchange information with, and share information with, the mobile device.
In known operating environments, the mobile device must be present at the desktop computer and use a serial link or an infrared link to exchange information with the desktop computer. This limitation is particularly disadvantageous when, for example, it is desired that the user or users from a remote location access different desktop computers or the same desktop computer. For instance, a sales force may individually want to interact with a designated desktop computer having a common database that is shared by all in the sales force. Each individual sales person would want to update each of their respective mobile devices so as to have the most current information in the database, or update the common database with information obtained in the field, without returning back to the location of the desktop computer. Prior art systems are not convenient to use since each user may have to reconfigure communication settings and data transfer parameters each time the user connects the mobile device to the desktop computer. In many situations, each of the users must be using the same type of mobile device and the same type of communication link.
There is a continuing need to improve the interaction between a desktop computer and such mobile devices. In particular, there is a need to allow the mobile device to connect to the desktop computer using any one of a plurality of different communication links so as to give the user flexibility, particularly when the mobile device is remote from the desktop computer. In addition, there is a need to allow a plurality of mobile devices to interact with the desktop computer without requiring an inordinate amount of configuration by the user to transfer data or form the communication link as well as allow the user to choose a particular communication link independent of other users interacting with the desktop computer